


Work Relations

by SaffronClover



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-16
Updated: 2014-09-16
Packaged: 2018-02-17 15:48:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2314979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaffronClover/pseuds/SaffronClover





	Work Relations

"Maker, how am I going to present this?" A frustrated Cullen asked the shadows. The War Room he stood in was wide with a high ceiling, which made it poorly lit in the dark. The only light in the room, other than a couple wall sconce, was a candle sitting on the strategy table.

 

Cullen was sitting down in a chair he had drug over, one hand supporting his chin, the other fingering a templar figurine in his hands. The bags under his eyes and his glazed appearance were evidence to how long had been looking at the table. The night had long since given way to morning, yet Cullen had not a strategy to present.

 

"Knight-Commander?" Came a sweet voice. He looked up and across the table saw the Inquisitor standing in the doorway. One finger was looped around a candle holder, and the light barely made out her face, but he knew it was her. She was standing in a night robe, presumibly with her night gown underneath.

 

"Ah, evening." He said, sitting up straight.

 

She approached the war table and set her candle down, looking over the map. "Good morning, more like."

 

Cullen rubbed his eyes. "Morning? Sweet Andraste I've been up all night."

 

"What are you doing?" She asked, still looking at the map.

 

Cullen sighed and stood. "I'm trying to find a good strategy for fighting the Red Templars. So far nothing has come to me, and it's bloody frustrating." He looked at Clover and noticed her normally unruly ginger hair was plaited down her back, and the same bags he wore under his eyes were present on her face. "Maybe the question is: What are you doing up?"

 

Clover smiled sheepisly and held up a small box in her hand. "I was studying herbal lore from a tome I, ah, borrowed from the Ostwick Circle. I was hungry and raided the larder." She paused. "Don't tell anyone."

 

This brought a smile to Cullen's face. "I promise, Inquisitor."

 

"How many times should I tell you, call me Clover." She chided him.

 

"As many times as it takes you to start calling me Cullen."

 

Clover paused a moment before she nodded. "Deal."

 

The silence between them was thick. She had only been the Inquisitor for a couple short months, and being in close proximity with a Templar made her uneasy. Likewise Cullen felt at odds with such a high ranking woman being a mage, given his history with them. He didn't like the power she had at her hands, but over time he was learning how to deal with it.

 

The awkward tension between them cut away when Cullen's stomach made a suffering growl. Clover brought a hand up to her mouth to conceal a giggle, and Cullen cleared his throat in an embarrassed manner. "Excuse me."

 

"It sounds like I'm not the only one who needs a midnight snack." Clover picked up her skirt and came round the table, sitting her box down next to Cullen. She slid the top off to reveal a couple slices of cheese, several strips of dried meat, a handful of grapes, and some basil leaves.

 

"It looks like you did more than raid the larder. Were did you get the herb?" Cullen asked.

 

She looked down, embarrassed. "Well, I have a confession. I planted a small herb garden in an inconspicuous place when I first came here." She removed a piece of cheese and placed a leaf on it. "My mother used to give my brother and I snacks like this in the summer. Try."

 

Cullen looked at her, then to the food. Normally he would turn it down, but that would be too much of an insult to Andraste's Herald. He examined the food in his hand before taking a careful bite. To his surprise it was fairly good, nothing to write home about but a good midnight snack.

 

"Sadly the Circle at Ostwick didn't allow us to grow anything extravagant like basil, just the normal things like elfroot for potions." Clover said in between bites. "So, what is the issue you're tackling?"

 

Cullen turned back to the map and trailed a finger over the battle field. "This Red Templar army has taken over a small village, and we need to take it back. I can lead a small army in and take them out, but I can't do it without letting them know before hand. There is only one way into the village, since it's in a valley surrounded by mountains." Cullen sighed. "I want to lead the army in, because sending Leliana would be too dangerous, and we all know what happened last time Josephine tried to reason with them."

 

A flush crept over Clover as she nodded in embarrassment. She had sent Josephine on behalf of the Inquisition to mediate with that faction before, but in the end she was lucky to get out with her life. Valuable time and strategy was wasted, something Clover was not proud of.

 

The Templar looked over at the silent mage. Her brows were furrowed as she examined the map, and her eyes darted around looking for a solution. For the first time he was struck by how beautiful she was. Yes, she was much younger than he, and knew she was youthful, but he had never seen her as a woman before. The light from the candle illuminated her face, making her features dance with the flickering of the candle. He never noticed how speckled her face was; it was like a starry night. Her lips were full, and she was worrying her lower with her teeth in thought. As she turned to him he saw just how blue her eyes were: They were like the waters of the Walking Sea, and they studied him deeply.

 

He saw her lips move, but Cullen didn't hear her. She stepped forward, and for the first time he saw she nearly matched him in height. Her eyebrows collected themselves into a worried bunch on her forehead.

 

"Cullen, are you alright? You're absolutely flushed."

 

And he was snapped back to reality. His cheeks were burning, but not from fever. He could feel the tightening in his pants, which made his cheeks redder. "E-Excuse me?"

 

The Inquisitor stepped forward and gently touched his cheek with her slender fingers, but Cullen recoiled. This turned Clover's face from concern to annoyance. "Knight-Commander, please remember I am a healer. I feel that I have proved myself not to be a blood mage, and touching you will not turn you into an abomination." She took a deep breath and calmed herself. "You're burning up, and I think you may be pushing yourself a little too hard." She begun packaging up her half eaten meal. "I'll have my assistant sent to get you a potion."

  
Suddenly feeling a fool he reached a hand out, only to stop short of touching her. "Please, I didn't mean any disrespect. I just... please understand I've been through things no man should ever experience."

 

"As have we all, Ser Templar." Clover rounded the table to where her candle still sat burning.

 

"Cullen..." He corrected under his breath, but loud enough for her to hear.

 

The Mage scooped up her candle and sighed deeply. "Look Cullen, if we are to work together then we have to trust one another. I have seen many a great horror in the Circle, and I don't doubt you have either. Maybe one day you will tell me, but until then please understand that I am working for the good of the people." She turned around and made her way to the doors. "Do yourself a favor and get some sleep. I'll have that potion sent to you as soon as I am able to find it."

 

Cullen stood up straight. "Is that an order?"

 

She stopped just short of the doorway and rubbed her tired eyes with her thumb and index finger. "No... no. Just a suggestion from someone worried about your health. Do with that what you please." And with that she was gone, leaving Cullen to his war table.

 

He satback into his chair and rubbed his face. The tightening in his pants relaxed again, and he cursed his body for reacting the way it did in front of her. After a moment he stood back up and slumped off towards the exit, taking the Inquisitor's advice on rest.


End file.
